Rising concerns about the environment and livelihoods are setting barriers to developing solar energy in Vietnam, experts have said.

The experts were speaking at a conference entitled “Solar energy Vietnam: grid integration challenges and opportunities” hosted by the National University of Civil Engineering Vietnam (NUCE) and the KU Leuven Belgium, with the support of the Embassy of Belgium in Hanoi.

Solar energy harvesting, especially through the Photovoltaic system, has witnessed a boom in recent years.

Workers install solar panels in the Central province of Quang Ngai.

The Government’s decision No 11 released in 2017 has created good conditions to accelerate the industry.

Since then, Vietnam has attracted 20GW of large-scale developments, which makes the country the regional leader in solar energy.

However, new projects are causing concerns over grid overloading and sub-optimal operation of PV installation.

Environmental concerns including the rapid growth of population, urbanization expansion, the diminishment of agricultural land for solar energy projects and impacted communities have posed challenges to solar energy projects in Vietnam.

These problems have called for more innovative and comprehensive solutions that are not only technical but also socio-economical.

At the conferences, participants touched upon innovations in solar harvesting and storage technologies which offer integrated solutions for also food production, cultivation and sustainable development.

Vietnam’s annual power consumption has increased by 10 percent in recent years, putting the country at risk of power shortages in the future.

Renewable energy like solar and wind would play an essential role in helping Vietnam complete its long-term goal of connecting the whole country to the national grid.

Both home rooftop systems and large projects invested by domestic and foreign investors are main focuses of the country’s solar power development plan.

According to experts, Vietnam’s solar system had a potential to reach 35,000MW by 2030.

Government has applied tariff incentives or renewable energy payments for solar power since 2017 in an attempt to accelerate investment in renewable energy. The fixed solar power price is set at VND 2,086 (USD 0.08).

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is working on new prices for solar energy based on geographical zones and opening the floor for feedback.